Josh Byrnes
Encyclopedia
General manager
General manager is a descriptive term for certain executives in a business operation. It is also a formal title held by some business executives, most commonly in the hospitality industry.-Generic usage:...
of the San Diego Padres
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times...
. Previously, he served as General Manager
General manager (baseball)
In Major League Baseball, the general manager of a team typically controls player transactions and bears the primary responsibility on behalf of the ballclub during contract discussions with players....
of the Arizona Diamondbacks
Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks are a professional baseball team based in Phoenix. They play in the West Division of Major League Baseball's National League. From 1998 to the present, they have played in Chase Field...
of Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
from November 2005 to July 2010.
Biography
Byrnes grew up in Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, where he attended and played second base for St. Albans School
St. Albans School (Washington, D.C.)
St. Albans School is an independent college preparatory school for boys in grades 4–12, located in Washington, D.C. The school is named after Saint Alban, traditionally regarded as the first British martyr. Within the St...
. He graduated in 1992 from Haverford College
Haverford College
Haverford College is a private, coeducational liberal arts college located in Haverford, Pennsylvania, United States, a suburb of Philadelphia...
with a BA in English. He played on the collegiate baseball team while attending Haverford. He began his professional career with a health-care consulting company after school. He began his baseball career for the Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
in 1994, quickly working his way up the organizational ladder, first as an intern, then as a video scout, and, eventually, to the position of scouting director in 1998. In 1999, he was hired by colleague Dan O'Dowd
Dan O'Dowd
Dan O'Dowd has served as the General Manager of the Colorado Rockies since September 20, 1999. Before being hired by the Rockies, he spent 15 years working for the Baltimore Orioles and Cleveland Indians, working his way from Accounts Manager to Director of Baseball Operations / Assistant General...
to fill the assistant GM position for the Colorado Rockies
Colorado Rockies
The Colorado Rockies are a Major League Baseball team based in Denver, Colorado. Established in 1991, they started play in 1993 and are in the West Division of the National League. The team is named after the Rocky Mountains...
, a job he held for two years. He then took the same job under Theo Epstein
Theo Epstein
Theo Nathan Epstein is the President of Baseball Operations for the Chicago Cubs.On November 25, 2002, he became the youngest GM in the history of Major League Baseball when the Boston Red Sox hired him at the age of 28...
and the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
until October 2005, when he was hired by the Diamondbacks to replace the departing interim General Manager Bob Gebhard.
Part of the new breed of young general managers, Byrnes was 35 when he was hired by the Diamondbacks in 2005. In February 2008, he was given an 8-year extension that was to last through the 2015 season.
SI.com's Jon Heyman
Jon Heyman
Jon Heyman is a sportswriter for Sports Illustrated and its website SI.com. He writes primarily about baseball. Heyman is also a baseball insider for MLB Network.-Early years:...
mentioned Josh Byrnes, as well as Kevin Towers
Kevin Towers
Kevin S. Towers is currently the general manager for the Arizona Diamondbacks. He also served as the general manager of Major League Baseball's San Diego Padres from 1995-2009.-Playing career:...
and Rick Hahn
Rick Hahn
Rick Hahn is the Vice-President/Assistant General Manager of the Chicago White Sox,In July of 2011, SportsIllustrated.com ranked Hahn as the #1 General Manager Candidate in Major League Baseball. Similarly, in March, 2010, Baseball America named Hahn the #1 General Manager prospect in Baseball...
as possibilities to replace Omar Minaya
Omar Minaya
Omar Teodoro Antonio Minaya y Sánchez is a former baseball executive who served as General Manager for the Montreal Expos and New York Mets.-Early life:...
as General Manager of the New York Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
for the 2011 season.
On October 22, 2010 the Mets announced that they narrowed their General Manager search to two candidates: Josh Byrnes and Sandy Alderson
Sandy Alderson
Richard Lynn "Sandy" Alderson is the general manager of the New York Mets. He previously served as an executive with the Oakland Athletics, San Diego Padres and the commissioner's office of Major League Baseball....
.
Notable deals
During the 2007 season, Josh was quoted by the Arizona Republic as saying the team had decided not to offer Eric ByrnesEric Byrnes
Eric James Byrnes , is a former Major League Baseball outfielder. He has played for the Oakland Athletics, the Colorado Rockies, the Baltimore Orioles, the Arizona Diamondbacks, and the Seattle Mariners...
a long term contract. It seemed a straightforward decision given Eric Byrnes
Eric Byrnes
Eric James Byrnes , is a former Major League Baseball outfielder. He has played for the Oakland Athletics, the Colorado Rockies, the Baltimore Orioles, the Arizona Diamondbacks, and the Seattle Mariners...
high asking price, age, and the teams surplus of young outfield prospects. But Eric was widely regarded as the "face of the franchise" the team's most popular player, and fan support for an extension was strong. Late in the season, when it was still unclear whether the Diamondbacks would make the playoffs, team president Jeff Moorad decided to negotiate personally with Eric. The result was their agreement on a 3 year $30 million contract with a complete no trade clause, which has greatly influenced team decisions ever since. Josh Byrnes' role in the Eric Byrnes contract remains unclear.
- Scott HairstonScott HairstonScott Alexander Hairston is an outfielder in Major League Baseball. Hairston bats and throws right-handed.-High school years:...
to the Padres for Leo RosalesLeo RosalesLeonel Rosales is a free agent Major League Baseball relief pitcher.-Baseball career:Before and during his time at California State University, Northridge Rosales played with the East L.A. Dodgers, a SCC baseball team, his number 11 was retired on December 15, 2008Rosales graduated from Reseda...
Not a major trade, but the Padres got the more beneficial production out of it. Hairston hit 33 home runs and drove in 80 RBI for the Padres in roughly two seasons. Rosales has appeared in forty-five games for the Diamondbacks with a 4.45 ERA and a 1.314 WHIP.
- Carlos QuentinCarlos QuentinCarlos Josè Quentin is an American outfielder who plays for the Chicago White Sox. In 2008 and in 2011, Quentin was selected as an All-Star.-Early career:...
to White Sox for minor league first baseman Chris CarterChris Carter (right-handed hitter)Vernon Christopher "Chris" Carter is a professional baseball player for the Oakland Athletics of Major League Baseball.-High school career:...
Moorad's signing of Eric Byrnes
Eric Byrnes
Eric James Byrnes , is a former Major League Baseball outfielder. He has played for the Oakland Athletics, the Colorado Rockies, the Baltimore Orioles, the Arizona Diamondbacks, and the Seattle Mariners...
seemed to make Quentin expendable, and his frequent injuries and penchant for being hit by pitches also produced concerns whether he would be able to stay healthy. Carlos Quentin in the immediate year he went to Chicago had 36 home runs, 100 RBI, an All-Star appearance, a Silver Slugger Award and a fifth place AL MVP finish. But Carlos missed the last 32 games of the season due to injury, and was hurt again in 2009, this time missing 63 games. And when he played in 2009 he was not productive, he had a negative $2.1M value according to FanGraph's Value measure, ranking 32nd among MLB left fielders, behind Diamondbacks rookie Gerardo Parra.
- Carlos GonzalezCarlos González (baseball)Carlos Eduardo González is a Major League Baseball outfielder for the Colorado Rockies.-Minor leagues:...
, Brett AndersonBrett Anderson (baseball)Brett Franklin Anderson is a left-handed pitcher for the Oakland Athletics.-Early life:He attended Stillwater High School in Stillwater, Oklahoma, where he was an all-state selection in 2006, his senior year....
, Chris CarterChris Carter (right-handed hitter)Vernon Christopher "Chris" Carter is a professional baseball player for the Oakland Athletics of Major League Baseball.-High school career:...
, Aaron CunninghamAaron CunninghamAaron Roe Ward Cunningham is a Major League Baseball outfielder for the San Diego Padres.-Baseball career:Cunningham was drafted by the Chicago White Sox in the sixth round of the 2005 Major League Baseball Draft...
, Dana Eveland, and Greg Smith to the A's for Dan HarenDan HarenDaniel John Haren is a Major League Baseball starting pitcher for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.- High-school and college career :...
on December 14, 2007.
Dan Haren was a work-horse and led the Diamondbacks staff for two and a half seasons, with a 37-26 record, a 3.56 ERA, and an opponents OPS of .686 in his time with the team, before being traded to the Angels on July 25, 2010. Carlos Gonzalez is an emerging star with the Rockies, where he currently leads the National League in runs, hits, RBI, batting average, and slugging percentage for the 2010 season. Brett Anderson became one of the top pitching prospects in baseball in 2008, before beginning his career with the Oakland A's where he has a 3.69 ERA over his first 45 MLB starts. Chris Carter was ranked Oakland's top prospect by Baseball America entering 2010, had an .894 OPS in AA for the 2010 season, and earned a September callup with the A's. Cunningham, after a trade to the Padres, has emerged as a starting outfielder for that team in the summer of 2010, with a .833 OPS on the season.
- Dallas Buck, Wilkin CastilloWilkin CastilloWilkin Castillo is a Major League Baseball utility player.-Professional career:Castillo was originally signed as an undrafted free agent in by the Arizona Diamondbacks....
and Micah OwingsMicah OwingsMicah Burton Owings is a Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher currently pitching for the Arizona Diamondbacks....
to Reds for Adam DunnAdam DunnAdam Troy Dunn , nicknamed "Big Donkey", is an American Major League Baseball first baseman, outfielder, and designated hitter for the Chicago White Sox. He bats left-handed and throws right-handed....
Adam Dunn amounted to a rental player that didn’t help the Diamondbacks win the division or make the playoffs in 2008. The sudden economic downturn not only forced the team to reduce payroll, but it also meant it was not able to offer Dunn arbitration for fear that he would accept, instead of testing the weak free agent market. Consequently Arizona didn’t receive any compensation draft picks when Adam Dunn left for free agency, signing with the Nationals in 2009.
- Emillio Bonifacio to Washington for Jon RauchJon RauchJon Erich Rauch is a right-handed relief pitcher who is currently a free agent. At 6' 11" , he is the tallest player in Major League Baseball history. He is also an Olympic Gold Medalist.-Early years:...
Bonifacio was the Diamondbacks top 2nd base prospect, renowned for his speed, but the biggest question was whether he would be a useful hitter at the major league level. Rauch went from closer for the Nationals to only being used in blowouts for the Diamondbacks. Bonifacio started the season in 2009 on fire for the Nationals while Rauch struggled until the hiring of new manager AJ Hinch. He then returned to form as one of the better relievers in the league, compiling a 2.81 ERA from April 28 until the seasons end. Rauch was subsequently traded to Minnesota in late 2009 for Kevin Mulvey. Bonifacio, after his opening 5 game hot streak, slumped over the remainder of the season, finishing with the lowest OPS among qualifying 2009 MLB batters.
- In December, 2007 Byrnes traded Jose ValverdeJosé ValverdeJosé Rafael Valverde is a Dominican professional baseball pitcher with the Detroit Tigers of Major League Baseball. His nickname is Papa Grande...
to the Astros in exchange for infielder Chris Burke and right-handed pitchers Chad QuallsChad QuallsChadford Michael Qualls is a relief pitcher.-Astros:Qualls was drafted in the 2nd round of the 2000 Major League Baseball Draft by the Houston Astros. He began his career as a starting pitcher with the Michigan Battle Cats in...
and Juan GutierrezJuan Gutiérrez (baseball)Juan Carlos Gutiérrez nicknamed the goot is a Venezuelan professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent.-Baseball career:...
.
Firing
With the Diamondbacks in last place, 12.5 games of first-place San Diego, and citing a need for accountability and overall change, owner Ken Kendrick and team President Derrick Hall announced on July 2, 2010 that both Josh Byrnes and team manager A.J. Hinch had been relieved of their duties. Josh Byrnes was replaced on an interim basis by Jerry DiPoto and Hinch was replaced also on an interim basis by the promotion of bench coach Kirk GibsonKirk Gibson
Kirk Harold Gibson is a former Major League Baseball player and currently the manager of the Arizona Diamondbacks. As a player, Gibson was an outfielder who batted and threw left-handed...
.
San Diego Padres
On December 3rd, 2010, Byrnes was hired by the San Diego Padres as their Vice President of Baseball Operations, reuniting him with GM Jed Hoyer, whom he worked with in Boston, and team owner Jeff Moorad, who was the previous CEO of the Diamondbacks.On October 26, 2011, Josh Byrnes was promoted to General Manager of the San Diego Padres.